


Fluidity

by PotterPerson (Nikkilynnc100302)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comfort, Gender Issues, Gender Roles, Genderfluid, Happy Ending, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24709657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikkilynnc100302/pseuds/PotterPerson
Summary: Draco has identified as genderfluid. Harry is quick to accept him and needs his help when Teddy comes to him with questions he doesn't know how to answer.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Teddy Lupin/Victoire Weasley (mentioned)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	Fluidity

**Author's Note:**

> I do not know that much about genderfluidity. I read some articles but I can't be sure if I said something that is false and should be corrected. Please tell me if I did because I will fix it immediately. I wrote this for a request on Wattpad. If you want the articles I used, I will be happy to provide them if asked. Thanks and I hope you like it!

Harry and Draco had become friends when Draco started working at the ministry in Hermione’s department, the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures. That was when Harry had learned what genderfluid meant. Most of the time, Draco would dress like he normally would and go by ‘he’ and kept his hair short. But, as he told Harry, sometimes he didn’t feel like a boy. Sometimes, he wanted to wear skirts and dresses, be called ‘she’, and spelled his hair long. Other times, he didn’t want to be called either one, instead using ‘they’, and wore an amalgamation. Harry didn’t mind, of course. Once he did a little more research, he barely noticed the difference and it wasn’t ‘her’ or ‘him’ or ‘them’, it was just Draco. 

He thought he understood pretty well. But he didn’t. He understood being friends with someone that was comfortable with their gender and it’s fluctuations. He did not understand the feelings of a young boy feeling uncomfortable with gender. So he called Draco. 

“Calm down, Potter, and explain.” Draco’s voice soothed over the phone. (Hermione made them all keep them, just in case.)

“When Teddy came home from Hogwarts he started asking me… questions. I didn’t know what to say so I just told him I would help and then I called you.” Harry managed to get the story out in a calm manner now.

“What kind of questions?” Draco asked.

“He asked me why he had to dress and act and look like a boy all the time. He asked what it even meant. I didn’t know what to say, Draco. I didn’t want to say something wrong and, I don’t know, mess him up for life.” Harry stressed how scared he was to say something to ruin Teddy’s relationship with his gender. 

“I’m going to come over. It will be fine, Potter. You aren’t mad or anything though, right? Because this is normal.” Draco suddenly seemed nervous. 

“Of course not. I know it’s normal. It’s just… not something I know how to handle.” Harry heard Draco sigh with relief before the phone call ended. It was only moments later when the floo flared and Draco stepped out. 

“Thank you. Teddy’s room is the third door on the right. I’m going to make some tea. I think you should talk to him alone first.” Harry smiled nervously before turning to the stove. 

Draco followed the instructions he was given. Teddy’s room was bright yellow and white and Draco found that, from what he knew about Teddy, it fit his fairly bright personality. 

“Hello, Teddy.” Draco caught his attention, pulling him away from what looked like a photo album. 

“Draco? Harry called you?” Teddy looked confused about why he was there.

“Yeah. He told me about your questions. I think I can help. I’m something called gender-fluid. Have you ever heard of it?” Draco asked, sitting at the end of Teddy’s bed. 

“No. What does that mean?” Teddy asked eyebrows pulled together in confusion. 

“It just means that your gender fluctuates. Sometimes you feel more like one gender and sometimes more like the other. Sometimes you don’t feel like either. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you want to be a different gender. A lot of the time, it just means you’re uncomfortable with the way other people expect you to express yourself within your gender.” Draco explained. Teddy nodded along slowly.

“Okay, I think I get it. It’s just that sometimes when people call me a boy or when I look in a mirror and I look like a boy, I feel...gross. Or like it’s not actually me. But sometimes I feel fine with it. Most of the time, I don’t really care to look like either one.” Teddy explained as best he could, for being 14 and in unfamiliar territory. 

“That gross feeling is something called dysphoria. I felt it too when I was your age. I understand exactly how you feel, Teddy, and I promise it isn’t as crazy as I know it feels.” Draco soothed the scared child. 

“What do I do about all of it?” Teddy asked, looking worried. 

“You can start to let yourself look like how you feel. You don’t have to do anything drastic, like changing your sex, if you don’t really want to. Since your gender shifts, it’s easier to use products or your magic to make you look differently. If you want, you can ask people to call you something different. Like maybe one day, you want to be called ‘her’ instead of ‘him’. Or, some people just use ‘they’ all the time so they won’t be called something they aren’t comfortable with.”

“I think I like ‘they’. Do you think Harry will be okay with this?” Teddy suddenly looked horrified. The idea of Harry rejecting him seemed to terrify them more than anything. 

“I’m positive he will be. I was his biggest enemy at school and when he found out, he accepted it right away. If he can do that for me, he can definitely do it for you. Remember, if you have any more questions or you need help with something, I’m always here. You can call me at any time. I promise you are not alone, Teddy.” Draco was taken aback as Teddy flung forward to wrap their arms around Draco’s neck. Draco hesitantly returned the hug, happy to have helped his little cousin. 

“Is he okay?” was the first thing Harry said when Draco came back into the kitchen. It seemed that Harry had given up on the tea and was now cradling a cup of coffee. 

“They are fine. I think you might want to get used to using those pronouns.” Draco smiled at him and Harry looked like he was finally breathing normally. 

“I just want to make sure I do right by them. I don’t ever want Teddy to think there’s anything that would make me love them less or not accept them.”

Draco was sitting next to Harry at the table and took his hand. 

“I’m positive they don’t feel that way.” Draco soothed. 

“I hope you’re right. Thank you so much, Draco.” Harry turned to face him and gripped his hand to stop him from moving it away. 

“Any time, Harry.” Draco breathed. He couldn’t tell if it was in his imagination that they were moving closer until Harry’s lips pressed to his own. It was soft, not rushed or rough, but passionate. Draco knew he had felt strongly about Harry for a while now but he had never dreamt that Harry felt the same. 

They jumped apart when a voice shouted from the doorway. 

“Ew!” Teddy yelled throwing their hands up to cover their eyes. 

“You can’t say anything after what McGonagall caught you and Victoire doing!” Harry shouted back, laughing, as Teddy ran from the room. 

It was a long road for Teddy to get comfortable with their gender fluidity. But with the most supportive friends and family they could ask for, it was just a bit easier. Plus, having Draco around a lot more often made them feel much more normal, if there was such a thing.


End file.
